Hinge



UNITED STATES 4PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI L. FLETCHER, OF MCCONNELLSVILLE, OHIO.

HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,480, dated September 26, 1893.

Application had May 13,1893. stanno. 474,186- (Nomodel.) 4

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI L. PLETCHEB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mo- Connellsville, in the county of Morgan and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Hinge, of which the following is a speciication.

My invention relates to improvements in` hinges, the objects in view being to provide a simple and efficient construction of hinge whereby the door or cover to which the same is applied may be readily attached or secured in position without withdrawing the pivotpin of the hinge; further, whereby when said hinges are applied to both edges of a door or cover the pair of hinges upon either side may be used as a pivot upon which to turn the door or cover, those upon the opposite side acting as catches, or both pair of hinges may be locked to hold the lid or cover in its closed position.

.A further object of my invention is to provide a hinge of the class mentioned in which the parts or members thereof may be connected automatically, or without special manipulation of the securing devices.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the following description,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box and cover with hinges embodying my invention applied thereto in the operative position; the hinges upon one edge of the cover acting as pivots therefor and those upon the other edge as catches. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing the parts of the hinge cpnnected to form a pivot. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the hinge with the parts or members thereof disassembled. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the plunger detached.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 represents a box or crate and 2 the cover or lid, to the opposite edges of which are connected pairs ofhinges embodying my invention, one part or member of each hinge being permanentlyV secured to the upper edge of the box and the other part or member thereof to the cover.

The part or member 3 is provided with a semi-circular hook or seat 4 which occupies the central portion of the edge of the'part, a slot 5 being formed in the plate comprising the body portion of the part or member ata right angle to and opposite the center of said hook or seat.

Slidably mounted in a guide or sheath 6, which is fixed to the under surface of the part or member 3, is a slide or plunger 7, which is bifurcated at its rear end, which is toward the free edge of the plate, to receive a fixed lug 9. An actuating spring 10 is arranged in the bifurcation of the slide or plunger to normally hold the latter in the position shown in Fig. 2 in which the notched tongue 11, fixed to the upper side of the slide and projecting upwardly through the slot 5, is in engagement with or in juxtaposition to the hook or seat 4. The slide or plunger is pro vided with an integral operating arm or extension 12, whereby the tongue 11 may be repressed to remove it from contact with the hook or seat. The other member, 3f of the hinge, is provided upon one side edge adjacent to its ends with ears 13 between which is arranged a fixed pivot-pin 14, adapted to engage the hook or seat 4 and be held in contact therewith by means of the tongue 11. This member 3a is notched, as shown at 15, to fit over the upper end of the tongue to enable the members to fold into parallel planes. The outer or front side of the tongue 11 is beveled, as shown at 16, whereby the tongue may be repressed by contact with the pivotpin sufficiently7 to allow the latter to enter the hook or seat ,4, after which the actuating spring returns the tongue to its normal position and locks the pivot pin in place.

When it is desired to open the box or crate provided with my improved hinge it is only necessary to repress Vthe tongues 11 by means of the projecting arms or extensions 12, thus liberating the pivot-pins of the hinges upon one edge of the lid. When it is desired to close the box the descent of the free edge thereof will produce sufficient pressure upon the beveled faces of the locking tongues 1l to repress the latter and enable the' pivotpins to resume their normal positions. This being the construction and operation of my preferred form of hinge it will be understood that in practice various changes may be made as to form, proportion and minor details without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a hinge, the combination of detachable parts or members, one of which is provided with a hook or seat and a co-actng spring-actuated locking tongue, and the other of which is provided With a pivot-pin to lie in said hook or seat and to be engaged by the locking tongue, substantially as specified.

2. In a hinge, the combination with a part or member carrying a pivot-pin, of a separable part or member provided at one edge with a hook or seat to receive said pivot-pin, and a slidable spring-actuated locking tongue to engage the pivot-pin While in the hook or seat and having a beveled face to permit of automatic engagement of the parts, substantially as specied.

3. In ahinge, the combination with apart or member bearing a pivot-pin, of a part or member, provided with a hook or seat, a s

spring-actuated slide or plunger mounted in a suitable guide, and a locking tongue carried by said slide or plunger and adapted to engage the pivot-pin when mounted in the hook or seat, substantially as specified.

4. In a hinge, the combination with a part or member bearing a pivot-pin, of a part or member bearing a hook or seat and a sheath or guide, a slide or plunger mounted in said sheath or guide and provided with an actuating spring,a locking tongue xedto said slide or plunger and arranged in operative relation to the hook or seat, and an operating arm or extension fixed to' the slide, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

LEVI L. FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

JAS. C. OGLEVEE, GEO. W. BERRY. 

